


And I'm pouring out the truth

by ImaginationReaper98



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015), Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: DameRey, F/M, Fluff, Lots of it, damerey secret santa, rey organa-solo - Freeform, solo family
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-26
Updated: 2017-12-26
Packaged: 2019-02-22 01:25:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,241
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13156230
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ImaginationReaper98/pseuds/ImaginationReaper98
Summary: based on this prompt: For her 22nd birthday, Rey Organa-Solo tries wearing Padmé Amidala’s gowns and Poe is extra in love with her.





	And I'm pouring out the truth

When Rey finally stepped out of the dressing room, she was met by the sight of her mother's genuine smile. Pure joy was bursting out of her and it bounced against Rey's own slightly disconcerted aura, the kind of joy she thought she'd only understand entirely once she has children of her own. Her brother was also there, leaning against the doorframe and offering her a shrug.

She spun around to look at herself in the mirror and was quite taken aback by what she saw. It was odd to see herself in a dress as ornate and intricately made as the one she was wearing, white and flowing with pale pink veils falling elegantly over her shoulders. It was remarkably striking, if not overly extravagant.

"Isn't it...a tad bit too much?" Rey asked.

Leia laid a gentle hand on her arm. "Not really. You want to try on another?"

"No, I'll stick with this one."

It was already the simplest one she could find, not that she expected anything less. After all, these gowns were made for a queen.

Leia had entrusted to her a collection of gowns that had belonged to her mother, Padmé Amidala—the birth mother Leia hadn’t known.

Along with a few stories her mother had heard from the people who knew Padmé and the scant information she could find from old records, these dresses were the only tangible connection Leia had of her real mother. And she handed them over to Rey, which was as big of a deal as getting the Falcon.

Although Rey was incredibly touched by the sentiment behind the gesture, she really had no idea what to do with them. See, she'd much prefer wearing clothes that would actually allow her to _move._ Leia told her they would be useful in some important moments in her life, but Rey couldn't think of any event in the foreseeable future that would require her to dress up so lavishly.

Except for her birthday party, of course. That was definitely one she has to dress up for.

"It looks perfect on you." Leia remarked. "Right, Ben?"

Ben arched his brow, trying to seem indifferent.  "It's impractical."

"He thinks it'll look better on him." Rey grinned. "There's a red one you can borrow. You'll love it, it's glittery."

"How nice of you." he said with mock gratitude. "And you actually do look great. Thankfully there's an emergency medical assistance at the ready. I'm sure Dameron will pass out the moment he sees you. Or worse, sh—"

"Aren't you supposed to be meeting with Uncle Luke right now?"

Slowly, his face contorted into something that resembled panic (she couldn't be so sure though, his perpetual sneer always made it hard for her to pinpoint his facial expressions).

"Kriff, I forgot." Ben's eyes flit to Leia. "Mom, I know I told you I'll help with the preparations but—"

"You can go, I can handle it." Leia assured him, shaking her head fondly as she watched Ben quickly leave the room without another word. He was obviously dreading the prospect of tainting his reputation for arriving on time, not that it was ever impressive in the first place.

Rey looked back at her reflection, her hands straightening the front of her dress. The fact that it fits her _perfectly_ was nothing short of a miracle. Rey wondered what her grandmother must have looked like. She had seen holos of her in the Naboo throne looking magnetic with strength in her brown eyes, though holos usually fail to do anyone justice.

Leia caught Rey's eyes in the mirror, the corners of her lips twitching up in a knowing smirk. "Let me guess, you hate how physically limiting that dress is."

Rey merely smiled, unable to deny the truth in her words.

"Believe me, I know."

"You make it look so easy."

"It gets easier once you know how to embrace it.

"And how exactly could someone do that?"

"I always just keep in mind that dressing up doesn't have to be for the sole purpose of looking good, it can also be a way to show what's in there." Leia pointed a finger to Rey's chest. "You have a pure heart." Rey swallowed the snarky remark tingling in the back of her throat; the moment was too sincere for that. "It manifests itself in many ways, but there's always room for more. Try that."

 _Well, if you put it that way...that just adds unbidden pressure to the mix, really._ "Sure, I'll try." she said, willing her smile not to fall.

What her mother said, it sort of explained why she looked so gracefully elegant all the time. Whether she's in one of her beautiful gowns or when she slips on a more comfortable garment at home, she always has this regal warmth about her, both strong and affectionate.

Her mother has perfected the art of emanating what was inside of her and to say it was beautiful would be an understatement.

 

                                     

....

 

 

The faint aroma of food made Rey's mouth water and she hoped her gown won't tear after she gobbles down every delicacy her hands could get a hold of. The lively music from the hall blared through the walls and her heartbeat seemed to compete with its pace. _Why am I nervous?_

"You alright?" her father asked.

Rey nodded. "Yeah, I'm okay."

Han smiled his lopsided grin, the one that never ceased to cheer her up. "I can't believe Leia convinced you to wear that." he said, chin jutting out to point at her gown as he offered her his arm.

"She didn't have to." Rey looped her arm around his and heaved a sigh. "I'm just not so thrilled about parties, is all."

"And yet here we are."

As impossible as it sounded, the party was actually Rey's idea. Han always mentioned how Leia missed "having her only daughter around" and she knew it wasn't his intention, but it kind of made her feel guilty in some way. Leaving home to train with her uncle was something she knew she needed and wanted to do, but being away from her parents for years was quite tough on her. She couldn't imagine how hard that was on them. So Rey figured allowing her mother to throw her a birthday party after years of not being able to was one of the many ways she could make up for lost time.

"I think you'll enjoy this one." Han said. "I've got a good feeling about it."

The large doors finally opened and a group of familiar faces greeted them with loud and excited cheers. Together, Rey and Han stepped into the hall to join everyone, mirroring the wide smiles of those around them. It was odd and unexpectedly powerful how something that would usually make her feel uncomfortable could instantly make her feel more at ease. Perhaps it was because she knew every single person inside and that she cared for all of them. That was what mattered most, she thought, something beyond the hollow satisfaction any material finery or grandiose parties could give.

Her father leaned closer and murmured into her ear, "Happy birthday, kid."

Han was not an emotionally vocal guy, so that simple greeting and the accompanying kiss he placed on Rey's forehead was enough to make her fight back tears.

"Thanks, dad."

As they make their way forward to join her mom and her brother (Ben had draped an arm around Leia and was smiling at her from ear to ear in a rare display of pure glee), Rey's eyes scanned the hall until she found who she was looking for.

Poe was standing still, almost frozen with an almost absent expression on his face. Rey looked away and smiled to herself, feeling more than happy to know that he came, not that she ever doubted it for a second.

 

....

 

Poe was shaking, literally. His hands were slightly trembling that he had to ball them up into fists to make them stop. It was stupid, really. He had faced much more daunting situations before—an occupational hazard—but he never thought a birthday party could rack him with this much nerves.

But that was the thing, it wasn't _just_ a party. It was Rey's. One of the most important people in his life, which has been the case for the past two years.

Everyone that mattered to her was there: her parents, her uncle, her brother and close friends. There was this looming risk of him messing things up in front of them, keeping him on edge. Finn's excitement and overwhelmingly positive energy was incredibly infectious that Poe managed to stop overthinking everything eventually, he has this special skill of being helpful even without meaning to. Though the effect didn't last for long.

As the massive doors opened themselves, Rey emerged with her father by her side and just like that, Poe's chest felt like it was about to burst. She was wearing a beautiful white and pink dress, her hair done up in intricate braids and her bright smile making the lights inside the hall seem like lifeless stars compared to the cosmic radiance she emitted. Poe's heart was so loud in his ears that he could hardly hear the excited cheers of the people around him. He just stood there, awestruck and unmoving with a heart so full he could barely keep it still.

To Poe, she _always_ looked amazing... But this was new.

He didn't know how long he stayed that way, completely and utterly entranced by what he just saw, when Finn finally nudged him with his elbow. "Hey, you still there?"

"What?"

Finn laughed and clapped him on the shoulder. "We probably should go to her now before everyone else steals her away."

They trudged through the thin crowd until they reached the center of the hall where Rey was talking in hushed tones with Senator Organa.

"I think we shouldn't inter—"

"Rey!" Finn shouted over the noise, making both women look up. Rey's face lit up in an instant and waved them over.

Finn ran to her right away while Poe was too busy smiling apologetically at Senator Organa. She smiled in return and moved towards him with palpable grace. "Enjoying yourself, Poe?"

"Yes, yes of course." Poe swept a hand to gesture vaguely around the hall. "This is amazing, Senator. She deserves all of it." He added the last part with an unintentional sheepish tone in his voice.

"Thank you for coming. This evening wouldn't be as special for her if you weren't here." she said

He rubbed the back of his neck and shrugged flippantly. "I'm sure that's not true. She has everyone else."

"Oh, spare me that. Rey thinks the world of you. Though not as much as you do, I daresay."

Poe chuckled, his nervousness slowly melting away. "That obvious, huh?"

She gave him a look as if to say, _Of course it is._

"You and Finn keep her entertained, Rey has a tendency to lose interest in the middle of social gatherings. But you already knew that."

He did.

When Senator Organa walked away, she left a trail of elegance in her wake.

"Poe!" Finn called. "Don't just stand there, man."

He smiled at his friend, shrugging off the remaining nervous tightness in his muscles. His heart lurched without warning when his eyes found Rey and he closed the distance between them. Smiling playfully, he took her hand with an overdramatic flourish and bent down to kiss it gently. Rey laughed, the sound ringing in his ears.

"Happy birthday."

She wrapped her arms around him and Poe hugged her back with the same eagerness. He wondered if she could feel how much his heart was racing at that moment.

"Alright, lovebirds. I'll leave you to it. If you need me, I'll be by the banquet table."

"Or somewhere out there bugging Rose to no end." Rey said as they slowly pulled away.

"She loves it."

"Doesn't look like she does, buddy." said Poe teasingly.

Finn just smiled. "You'll see."

The evening went by in a swirl of blissful moments. They gorged themselves with the scrumptious dishes the banquet had to offer and laughed along with the rest. Rey gave each guest a portion of her time to greet them, which was less tiresome than it sounded since every person they talked to had their own way of inducing them in a fit of laughter. Poe remained by her side, even when her father approached them every once in a while. He was grateful that Han Solo could at least tolerate his presence, something he attributed to the fact that he knew both Poe's parents. Still, Han Solo gave him the occasional scrutinizing look over. Poe couldn't blame him. In fact, Han being gruffly affectionate towards Rey was something he found endearing to watch.

There was also some dancing that occurred with almost everyone swaying along with the fast paced music that didn't quite fit their attires, but some wine allowed even the most taut person to let loose (namely, Ben Solo). Poe was quite proud of his own dancing skills, but if he purposefully made a fool of himself more than once, Rey's laughter made it worth it.

It was clear to anyone that Rey was truly enjoying herself. She has the most radiant smile in the galaxy and it shone the entire evening. That was perhaps the best thing that could happen that night.

The sportive atmosphere around the hall eventually toned down by the time dawn started to break. Poe and Rey watched as the remaining guests made their way outside the hall, either sleepily or drunkenly. They were sitting beside each other in companionable silence, Rey leaning her head against his shoulder. Poe sighed contentedly, linking his hand through hers and still found himself delightfully surprised by how perfectly they fit, even after a time. _I'll never get used to this_.

"It's almost sunrise." Rey said, her voice barely more than a whisper.

"You want to watch it?" he asked.

Rey didn't even bother saying yes to him as she quickly rose to her feet, striding forward with her dress cascading behind her like waves.

"Come on." Rey said, sparing him a fleeting glance.

Poe followed and let her lead him towards a crescent-shaped balcony with a striking view of the cityscape. The sun has yet to rise but the foreglow tinted the clouds with its pale colors like paint leaking through the vast dark canvas of the sky. It was a sight to behold, but it was difficult to appreciate it as such when Rey was beside him beaming like the brightest star that ever glowed.

"You look amazing." he said to her.

Rey let out a small laugh. "You already told me that."

"Well, it's true."

He expected a sarcastic retort, but instead her lips simply curled up in a soft smile. She was dazzling and words always failed him in moments like this, so he took her hand and encapsulated all of his feelings into his gaze. The sun could very well rise with him looking the other way, but Poe couldn't care less. The gleam in Rey's eyes was a wonder all on its own.

With his free hand, Poe brushed a finger against the small ring dangling by a thin silver chain that hung on his neck. He could do it, he could give it to her then and there when the world was calm and the moment was beyond perfect. The ring was hers, he has known that for quite some time, has never been more sure of anything. If his mother had been alive to meet her, he was certain she'd agree. But the hint of carefree joy in Rey's smile reminded him that there was no need to rush. Though it was nice to feel utterly sure about something like this.

Rey reached out to touch his face, her fingers painting an invisible trail along his cheek.

"I don't know why I haven't told you this before but I've always liked your face."

Poe laughed despite himself. "That's a relief."

There was a whimsical glint in her eyes, something he'd never get sick of. "Your turn."

"To what?"

"Tell me something new."

Poe grinned. "You drive me crazy."

It was her turn to laugh. "I know," she said, "and that's not exactly new so it doesn't count."

Poe knew she'd say that. He figured the only way to go was to allow his heart to do the talking.

He knew exactly what it was about to say.

Poe tugged at his necklace again. "If I give you this ring right now, would you take it?" _Would you take me?_

It took her a moment but when it finally dawned on her, she swore under her breath.

He was fully aware that he had only just told himself not to take things fast, but his emotions were running too high and he was rather helpless to prevent the question from escaping his lips. It was impulsive (in one fell swoop, Poe just threw away his previous plan to set up an elaborate way to surprise her in a grand romantic gesture in exchange for a quiet moment in a balcony right before the sun peeked out), but it was honest and true. Poe couldn't lie to himself, or to her.

"You're kidding?" Rey searched his eyes. "You're _not_ kidding..."

Poe unlatched the necklace from his neck and took off his mother's old wedding ring from the silver chain, the one he swore he'd only share to someone when there was not a single bit of doubt in his mind.

There was no other person in the galaxy quite like Rey, he'd be a complete fool if he let her slip away. It was pure luck that she even wanted him back, and a miracle that she fell for him almost as hard as he fell for her.

"Are you sure? I swear, I'll kill you if—"

"I'm completely sure." Poe was smiling too much, his cheeks started to ache. "But it's fine if you don't—"

"You can't possibly think I'd say no to that."

She held out her hand and Poe slipped the ring in her finger, almost dropping it in the process. They were both trembling.

Rey shook her head in amusement. "You're crazy."

"I told you that, didn't I?"

They both laughed. Rey's smiling eyes were shining with tears and Poe could feel his own starting to well up as he held her face in his hands.

They kissed and it was slow and gentle as if they have all the time in the world. Perhaps it was true, it certainly felt like it was true. They have time to spare.

 

....

 

Rey was unbelievably happy for lots of things, and she never would've thought that finding a new reason to wear one of her grandmother's gowns could be one of those. Another important occasion she hadn't even thought about.

But when Poe asked her with so much earnestness, Rey knew she wanted it too.

She was sure they would have to wait for a few more years though. But still, she felt good to be wearing the _ring_ , to feel its delicate weight that failed to capture its true value. Something safe and solid that she could hold on to.


End file.
